I sat back, realising she’d die before she gave in. But now Rae and I were here.
I studied her and realised there was something she wasn’t saying, but I wasn’t going to push it now. I sighed and looked at them both, rubbing at the wound on my forehead.
‘So do either of you have any painkillers? My head is killing me.’
‘Let me see,’ Mother said, as she examined my head wound. It was a lump with a bit of blood clotting around my hair line.
‘We don’t have any medical supplies, darling. I’m sorry.’
‘That’s not very civil of them.’
Mother eyed the door. ‘I’ll ask them next time they deign to feed us.’
My stomach rumbled. ‘So what’s the food like around here?’
As if on cue, the door shushed open. I saw there were two armed guards outside. A dowdy-looking older woman carried a tray of food inside, kneeled and slid it along the floor. She wore nondescript overalls in a mustard colour, which did absolutely nothing for her complexion. Yet, there was something familiar about her.
‘Excuse me,’ I said, crawling forward. She backed out. ‘Could I have a painkiller?’
She caught my eye and shook her head before the door slid shut. Why was that woman familiar? Had we met?
Rae dived onto the tray and lifted lids. ‘They only sent enough for two.’
‘That’s fine. We can share,’ Opeia said as she began to divide up the food.
I wrinkled my nose at my serving, which was cold and congealed — some kind of bean stew with dry, undercooked rice. There was a canister of water to drink. Slick’s cooking was luxury compared to this.
Shovelling food in and swallowing, I let my thoughts drift to Thorn. I hoped he made it off the ship. I didn’t think they had destroyed the vessel, but I didn’t know for sure. Sound didn’t carry in space, but I’m sure I would have detected large weapons fire through the hull of this ship if they’d fired on the vessel.
Worrying about him made me realise I cared, really cared. I hoped he was free and clear and could give intelligence to AllEarth security when they arrived. I wanted him safe and unharmed. Thorn was important to me. My gaze flicked to my mother and Rae and I smiled, knowing that I did love them.
I hadn’t thought it was possible for me to love. It wasn’t how I was made. I could fake it, but rarely tried to. Something was happening to me. Some little piece of string that was coiled up inside me was unravelling. When did it start? Was it Rae’s arrival or was it Thorn? He definitely made me think, opened up possibilities for my future. I could be who I wanted to be, not who I was, who I thought I was, or what people expected of the little rich girl.
What Thorn thought about me was important. I hadn’t thought so at first, but I was realising now that it did. Did that mean I loved Thorn? I wasn’t sure. I think he liked me, despite thinking I was a reckless care-for-nothing. There was a moment there on the ship where we had connected, man to woman, with no filters, no hedging.
I thought of Slick too and hoped he hadn’t come to harm either. Thorn had done a lot to help him. I’d hate to be the one to take it all away. Alwin Anton came to mind, also. I hoped he was okay. Although he didn’t care for me, he was important to Rae and part of the family.
I rubbed my head. I was turning into a regular softie with all this hoping and wishing. It must have been a bad head injury.
With the food all eaten, we slid the tray by the door for easy collection. There wasn’t much room to walk around or even lie down. The bare floor wasn’t comfortable either.
‘We should keep the tray,’ Rae suggested. ‘Then we can hit her over her head and make a break for it when she collects it.’
‘Mmm,’ I said as I considered her strategy. ‘We could, but then we’d get shot by the two guards by the door. They’re armed.’
Rae pouted. ‘Well we can’t just sit here doing nothing.’
‘Yes, we can,’ Mother said.
Rae snuggled up next to our mother. ‘Opi, what about Al? What if...?’
Mother cupped Rae under the chin. ‘Shhh…none of that. What did I tell you? Think positively. We know we are worth more to them alive.’
She turned to me. ‘So how did you get here?’
‘I hired a charter, following Rae.’
‘And the charter is…?’
I shrugged. I didn’t want to say it was hiding in case our captors were listening, and if Thorn had escaped, I didn’t want the pirates chasing after him. So it was best to say nothing.
Opeia leaned her head against the wall and studied the ceiling. I wondered what she was thinking and whether she had a game plan. I knew I sure didn’t have one.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said, and Mother looked at us both and sighed.
A dark thought crossed my mind. What if they let Mother go but kept us, or at least one of us, hostage to make her do what they want? My gaze locked with my mother’s and I could tell she had thought of it. She had two daughters to protect now — two interfering daughters. Although, she didn’t remonstrate with us at all, I felt guilty for adding to her troubles.
The door slid open. We were expecting the lady to collect the tray, but there was a wrestling match going on outside, with fists, grunts and thumps. After a well-placed punch, a limp body was flung through the door, catching on the tray and sprawling into the room. I shot up, gaping at the body on the floor. I couldn’t believe it.
‘Thorn?’
Chapter Eleven
Double the trouble
Squatting down, I tugged on his shoulder. He had a couple of egg-sized bruises, one on his cheek and one on his head. His blue eyes were unfocused. ‘What in stars name are you doing here? Thorn?’ I shook him.
Mother and Rae were standing against the wall.
‘You know this man?’ Mother gaped.
I looked from Thorn to my mother. ‘Yes. He brought me here in his ship. He’s Captain Thorn Hanover.’
Rae held Mother’s hand. ‘I met him too. He couldn’t bring me because his ship was being resupplied, so he helped me find another charter with a captain who was trustworthy.’ Rae looked down and sniffed loudly. ‘Captain Milson was very kind. They killed his ship.’
Rae turned her head to mother’s shoulder.
Mother patted her head. ‘You didn’t know.’
‘But he died because of me. And his first mate.’
Mother held Rae’s face between her hands. ‘He brought you to those coordinates, but it was his decision to approach the ship and trigger the trap.’
‘Yes, we didn’t realise it was a trap.’
‘You see, you couldn’t have known. It’s right for you to feel sorry for what happened, but it’s not your fault.’
Rae nodded, but I could tell she didn’t believe it. She blamed herself.
‘Will he be all right, Essa?’
He was breathing, that was a start. ‘I hope so.’
‘Why is he here?’ Rae asked.
I shrugged.
Rae and Mother shared a look. ‘You.’
‘Me?’ I shook my head. Gently, I ran my finger along his hairline, amazed at the feelings welling up inside me. Touching him made my heart flutter and my gut clench. ‘I told him to get away. Now he’s put himself in danger.’
The colour left my mother’s face and she lowered herself down the wall to squat there. ‘No, I don’t want his blood on my hands.’
I looked at my mother and my sister, letting their words sink in. He’d come for me. The end of my nose stung — I was going to cry. I quickly rubbed at my face and focused my gaze on the wall. I would not blubber like an idiot. Mother was right, now he was in danger too.
Thorn wasn’t responding. The longer he was out, the more worried I became.
‘Try shaking him by the shoulder,’ Rae suggested.
I grabbed his shoulder and nudged a few times, trying not to think of how his muscles had rippled under my fingers when he’d kissed me. I’d been so angry at the time, but touching him brought it bac
k.
Thorn stirred.
‘Essa?’ he said, struggling to lift himself up.
He squinted at us and, before he lay back down, I edged under him to cradle his head in my lap.
‘Thorn, thank heavens you’re okay.’ I brushed the blond hair from his face. That well of emotion I’d discovered threatened to overflow, but I kept a lid on it. If I let that out now, I didn’t think I could stop it.
He smiled up at me and lifted a swollen finger to brush my cheek. ‘Couldn’t let you go by yourself.’
He had such a soppy look on his bruised face I thought he must have been damaged. He lifted up onto his elbow and took in my mother and Rae. With a nod to them he said, ‘You found them?’
‘Yes, but we’re all prisoners now.’
He nodded and groaned. ‘I know, but I couldn’t let them take you. I had to make sure you were all right. I thought I could help you escape if I sneaked on board. I’d almost made it, but I was caught in the hold.’
‘Is he serious?’ Mother asked. ‘Escape to where? There’s nothing but space between us and home.’
‘Don’t be negative. It’s the thought that counts.’
Both Rae and Mother widened their eyes. I wasn’t about to tell them about Thorn’s ship or the security force I’d called. Not when we were most likely being monitored.
‘Is there any water left in the canister? Thorn needs a drink.’
Rae rummaged on the tray, grabbing a cup. I helped Thorn sip what remained. He lifted a finger and traced the wound on my head. ‘They did that. Bastards.’
My mind had calmed, adjusting to the new situation that included Thorn in our little trap. ‘I’m okay. Just a headache. The only one they haven’t roughed up is my mother.’
Rae sat forward. ‘What makes you say that? They took her away for hours and tortured her, trying to get her security codes, access to her bank accounts.’
Swallowing hard, I examined my mother more closely. On the edge of her neckline were little bruises shaped like finger prints and I noticed she shifted occasionally on her behind as if she was sore.
‘Show me.’
Mother shook her head and it was then I saw her fear.
‘Rae, help her. I want to see what they’ve done.’
Rae went over to Opeia. Mother was wearing a two-piece suit. Rae unzipped the top and parted it, lifting her undershirt. Her ribs were covered in bruises, and a large haematoma decorated her lower abdomen. Her shoulders had gouge marks and her arms were bruised where she’d been held.
‘I’m going to kill them. No one treats a Gayens that way.’
My mother shrugged her jacket back on. ‘Essa, while I appreciate the sentiment, this is serious. We need to keep cool heads if we’re going to get out of this alive.
I thought of Alwin Anton and looked down at Thorn. This was bad. Having people you cared about in danger was the pits. I had no idea how to get us out of it.
The doors snapped open and we swung around.
‘Bring them,’ a new voice said.
I couldn’t see who it was. The guards turned towards us, guns poised. They jerked the nozzles of their weapons, urging us out. We hunkered out the door, moving slowly. Opeia went first, with Rae and me helping Thorn as best we could. After a few steps, Thorn took his own weight, although he lurched.
Sweat beaded on his forehead. I slowed and Thorn smiled, placing his hand on my lower back. I took comfort in his touch, even though I wished he was somewhere else and safe.
We were ushered into a large conference room. There were a group of people there — some standing, some sitting and one with his back to us. The first sweep of my gaze, as I hesitated on the threshold, missed Alwin.
My second didn’t.
Standing along the far wall, he had a fresh scar down his face, temple to jawbone. A chill ran up my spine when I realised he wasn’t restrained nor did he appear, in any way, a prisoner. The point of a gun dug into my back and I was forced into the room.
Rae sucked in a breath and she went to take a step towards him before a guard’s weapon stopped her.
‘Al?’ The dismay in her voice clenched my heart. I could feel the betrayal in that one word.
Alwin was one of them. That could be the only explanation for him being free, for him letting this happen.
Mother, Rae and I were forced to sit in chairs. Thorn was left to hover beside us. He swayed on his feet, still dazed from the head wound.
Al’s gaze passed over us, but it was as if he didn’t see us. His eyes were cold, dark and emotionless. A slight twitch made his eyelid flutter. It was the only thing that let me know he was alive.
The man with his back to us swung around on his chair. He wore a sleeveless vest, and his long, red hair was drawn back into a ponytail. He was clean shaven, looked lean and had heavily inked, muscled forearms. His eyes were very pale blue, I thought, but when I looked again the irises were white.
‘Thank you again, Snoop, for delivering this lot to us.’
Al bowed his head, but his expression did not change. Obviously, Snoop was Alwin Anton’s pirate name. It fit. He was good at sniffing along cyber trails.
The seated man, who was appeared to be calling the shots, ran his gaze over us. ‘Where did he come from?’
All eyes in the room centred on Thorn. I reached up to grab his arm as he looked up, complexion fading to ash.
A tall man with grey-blond hair stepped forward from the back of the room. ‘Looks like he broke in when Pit Bull was bringing the other one over. We caught him skulking around in the cargo hold.’
Thorn rubbed his eyes and shook his head. He squinted at the man who was talking. ‘Dad?’
A man to the rear stepped forward. His eyes were cyber installs.
Thorn trembled. It must have been a shock to see his father mutilated.
‘This your offspring, Ogle?’ said the red headed boss.
‘Yes, that is my son.’ The unseeing eyes glowed eerily red.
My stomach took a dive to my feet, then surfaced somewhere near the ceiling. I really couldn’t take more of this. Double trouble, turncoats, backstabbers and Thorn’s dead father alive.
‘Son,’ he replied with a slight nod before turning away.
‘I thought you were dead.’
‘You were meant to.’ This came from the seated man, his inked elbows resting on top of the table. He steepled his fingers before his face, studying us.
Thorn swayed on is feet. Without permission, I slid out a chair and guided him onto it. I glared at Thorn’s dad as he retreated to the rear of the room.
Then my words rushed out like a bark, ‘You left him alone on a spaceship. You don’t deserve to be called a father.’
The head pirate slapped the table. ‘He’s no worse for wear. Shut your trap. We’ll deal with Ogle’s little splinter later. Perhaps he’ll be willing to join us, seeing as he is so resourceful.’
Thorn’s father stayed against the back the wall. He kept his vision centred on the table, lights licking around the edge of his prosthesis. It was ugly. Scars showed around his face, like his eyes had been burned out. Poor man. I shivered at the thought of Thorn becoming one of them. Yet he might. It was his father over there by the wall. A man he loved. I wondered what Thorn was thinking.
The red headed man leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. ‘Now, for the record, I’m known as Masher. I don’t take shit, so you’d better start cooperating or things could end up being…regretful…’
Alwin leaned down and whispered into Masher’s ear. The pirate boss’ pale eyes zeroed in on me. ‘So, you’re the clone.’
My breath stilled and I stood motionless. He’d said it. He’d said the word that had been hanging over my head my whole life. I’d always known — despite mother’s stories — what I was. I may have had some of Rae’s memories, but I also had memories of the growing case, blurred visions of my father and the attendants who assisted in growing me. I’d never bonded with my mother’s touch, or known early lau
ghter or love. Until recently, I didn’t believe I could really love or empathise. Not until I met Rae and Thorn.
I closed my eyes. Thorn would not be able to love me now he knew the truth.
‘No. They’re twins,’ my mother blurted, as she leaned across the table, her hands splayed on the table top.
I blinked, released from the spell I was under.
Masher turned to her. ‘They share the same name. And you may have fixed the records to get her a birth certificate, but there was a single child on the birth record. The witnesses attest to it. Your husband did a good job on her. Remarkable.’
‘I know I’m a copy,’ I spat out, relieved finally to get it off my chest.
‘Essa no. Don’t listen to them.’ It was my mother.
Thorn reached out and squeezed my hand. I let it go. They didn’t need to know he was important to me.
I turned to my mother. ‘It’s okay. I’ve known for a long time, before Rae came back. It wasn’t hard to figure out. My father was a geneticist. He cloned people. Why not his family?’
I couldn’t bring myself to tell her of my early memories. She’d tried to love me in those early days, just after I was deployed. Did love me now, I had no doubt of that, despite how much trouble I gave her.
I turned back to the pirate. ‘What is it to you if I’m a copy?’
He rubbed his chin on two fingers of his steepled hands. His eerie gaze unnerved me.
‘You may be useful to us.’
I scoffed. ‘By helping you?’
His gaze drifted to my mother and Rae. I swallowed. He had a point.
He sat back and returned his gaze to me. ‘We have a clone here we could deploy. Yet she has certain flaws. You could tutor her, show her how you did it, how you imitated the original. For that, I might let you continue your counterfeit existence.’
Rae and Essa’s Space Adventure Page 8
